At focus, we’re lucky enough to get our hands on some truly incredible beauty products — and yes, we do put them to the test. From freshly launched fragrances to hardworking skincare heroes, our goal is simple: find the gems worth adding to your top shelf. Here’s what we’ve been loving lately, and why these standouts deserve a spot in your routine.
MECCA MAX Life Proof Satin Blur Foundation
Your Skin, But Seriously Better
What if your foundation didn’t ghost you halfway through the day? MECCA MAX just dropped a base that promises to stick around – through school runs, sweaty commutes, office marathons, and nights when you swore you’d be home by 9.
Meet the Life Proof Satin Blur Foundation – long-wearing, lightweight, and the kind of natural-satin finish that has people thinking your skin is just naturally that good. It’s totally buildable too: sheer it out for weekend brunch vibes or layer up for a full glam moment. No cakey regrets. No “please don’t look too close” texture.
And because we love a brand with a heart – it’s Vegan Society certified, cruelty-free, and comes in 40 inclusive shades. Plus, at just $42, your flawless face doesn’t have to come with a side of budget panic.
Inside this bottle of magic:
– Hyaluronic acid for plump, hydrated skin
– Raspberry seed oil for nourishment that lasts
– A blurred, polished finish that plays well with every lighting situation
From busy days to late nights, this foundation stays exactly where you want it – even when you’re the one trying to tap out.
Pro tip: Lock in your look with the cult-favourite Life Proof Makeup Setting Spray (600+ five-star reviews!) – and grab the Complexion Buffing Brush for that seamless, airbrushed finish.
Available from MECCA stores or online.
Avène DermAbsolu Intensive Reshaping Night Cream
Wake up looking like you actually slept
If your skin could use a little overnight miracle, this rich, nourishing night cream from Avène is here to do the heavy lifting while you rest. Specially made for sensitive, mature or tired skin, it helps bring back firmness, hydration and that “I woke up with a glow” radiance.
Powered by some serious skin science – including Bakuchiol (a gentle retinol alternative), Pro-Ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier, and Niacinamide for brightening – it works to smooth, plump and resculpt the complexion while you sleep.
The texture? A soft, cocooning cream that melts in beautifully – no greasiness, no irritation, just comfort. By morning, cheeks look a little fuller, lines appear softer, and skin feels hydrated and refreshed.
Why we love it:
• Helps firm and redensify skin that’s starting to slacken
• Boosts collagen for smoother, bouncier texture
• Brightens dullness for a more youthful glow
• Kind to sensitive skin – thanks to Avène Thermal Spring Water
• You wake up looking lifted, revived… and like you didn’t binge-watch Netflix all night
If you’re noticing sagging, dryness or loss of volume, this is one to add to the bedside line-up.
RRP: $83.99 | Available in leading pharmacies nationwide and online.
Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Pistachio Crunch
Fresh meets delicious
If you love a fragrance that keeps things interesting, this one serves fresh green tea energy with a nutty, creamy twist. Pistachio steps into the spotlight – adding a playful gourmand vibe that’s totally on-trend without being overpowering.
The scent opens bright with bergamot and crisp green tea, then softens into warm vanilla bean and white amber with that addictive pistachio husk note woven throughout. It’s slightly sweet but fresh enough for everyday wear.
Wear it to the office, brunch, or anywhere you want to smell delicious and be complimented.
It strikes the perfect balance between fresh and sweet, making it easy to wear from day to night and the unexpected pistachio twist gives it a fun point of difference from typical florals. Just like any gourmand fragrance, try it on your skin first – the nutty warmth settles uniquely on everyone.
Retailing at $79 and available from Chemist Warehouse stores nationwide.
Shiseido Vital Perfection Intensive WrinkleSpot Treatment
Your hero for stubborn fine lines + dark spots
When regular moisturiser just isn’t cutting it anymore, this powerhouse spot treatment steps in. Designed to target the big three – deep wrinkles, dark spots, and loss of firmness – it goes straight to the source with some serious science behind it.
Inside the tube, you’ll find retinol to visibly smooth wrinkles, 4MSK (Shiseido’s own brightening ingredient) to fade age spots and even out tone, and ReNeura Technology++ to help the skin respond better to treatment as it ages. Translation: it nudges your skin to behave more youthfully again.
The texture is lightweight and non-greasy, making it perfect to apply as your last skincare step – morning and night (just don’t forget sunscreen in the daytime when using retinol).
Give it a few weeks and you’ll start seeing the shift – softer skin, smoother texture and those stubborn lines looking a whole lot less noticeable. That’s a big yes from us!
If you’re ready to get serious about visibly firmer, clearer, more even skin – this is a smart upgrade worth investing in.
Available from Shiseido counters.
Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser
The makeup-melting classic your skin will love
If your skin gets cranky easily – or you’re just over cleansers that leave your face feeling tight – this rich, oil-based balm is a total game changer. Lush went back to a centuries-old cold cream recipe and upgraded it with beeswax, almond oil, and rose water to gently melt away makeup, SPF, and the day… without any irritation.
The Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser feels like a comforting treat as you massage it in, and when you remove it with a warm cloth? Smooth, soft, calm skin that still feels like skin – not squeaky, not stripped.
Sensitive, dry, acne-prone, even oilier types – everyone seems to get on with this one, which explains the 1,000+ 5-star reviews. Good for your face and the planet, the honey inside is responsibly sourced from a regenerative beekeeping community in Brazil.
If your current cleanser is doing the bare minimum, consider this your invitation to upgrade to something iconic.